Sifting device.



no. 686,669 Y Patented N ov. l2, I901;

- .1. H. can.

SIFTING DEVICE. 4 J (Application medium 3a, 1900.)

(llo llodal.)

INVENTO 1'61! nouns may no.. pnoraumu. vmulucr'uu'. n. q

PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH H. COPE, OF NEW WINDSOR, COLORADO.

SIFTING DEVICE.-

SPEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 686,669, dated November 1 2, 1901.

Application filed June 26, 1900.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH I-I. COPE, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at New Windsor, in the county of Weld and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sitting Devices; and I do declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in sifting devices more especially intended for use in applying a poisonous powder, as parisgreen, to potato-vines or other plants for the purpose of destroying the insects or bugs which eat the plants.

My object is to provide a device of this class which shall be simple in construction, economical in cost, reliable, durable, and efficient in use; and to these ends the invention consists of the features hereinafter described and claimed, all of which will be fully understood by reference tothe accompanying drawings, in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section taken through my improved device. Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the sameviewed at right angles to the position inFig. 1,. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the device viewed from below. Fig. 4. is a horizontal section viewed from above.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 5 designate a cylindrical receptacle, preferably formed of sheet metal and having a perforated bottom 6, covered by wire screen 7. The bottom 6 is composed of a sheet-metal plate provided with a limited number of openings 6, preferably arranged in radial rows, so that they maybe alternately covered and uncovered by the radial arms 8",

fast on a hub or collar 8, through which passes a spindle 9, journaled in the bottom 6. The agitating or stirring device 8 8 is made fast to the spindle and occupies a position in con- Serial No. 21,672. (No model.)

tact with the wire screen 7 and above the same. The lower edge of the body part 5 of the device projects a short distance below the bottom 6, as shown at 5. The spindle 9 projects below the bottom into the space surrounded by the extension 5?. To the lower extremity of this spindle is attached a rod 10, which passes through horizontal slots 5, formed in the opposite sides of the extension 5?. This rod projects beyond the sides of the receptacle, and its extremities are provided with weights 10. The degree of the rods movement may be controlled by slides 12, which are held in place by screws 13, passed through openings in the slides, in which the screws fit, and through the slots 5. Nuts are applied to the inner extremities of these screws for holding them in place, The construction is such that by loosening these nuts the slides may be adjusted at will to regulate the length of the slots 5, whereby the distance of the rods stroke or movement is regulated and controlled.

It is preferred to construct the bottom of the device as shownin the drawingsthat is to say, by providing a sheet-metal bottom plate 6, having coarse perforations, and covering it with wire screen 7 of finer mesh, though it must be understood that the invention is not limited to this specificconstruction. If a plate alone were used,'the perforations must be so small that they would clog quite easily on account of the thickness of the plate, and when not clogged there would be a tendency to eject the material in small pellets of a length equal to the thickness of the plate. However, bymaking the perforations 6 of considerable size and covering them by the wire screen this difficulty is avoided, since the screen has not the thickness of the plate and the material passes through it in its normal or powdered condition. At the same time the plate forms the required support for the screen.

In using the device the material to be sprinkled upon the vines orplants is placed in a powdered condition in the receptacle. The poisonous powder is usually mixed with a proper quantity of some other material, as flour, to reduce its strength. The device is then taken by the handle 15, attached to the top thereof, and turned first one way and then the other or back and forth by reasonably quick or sudden movements. This action produces the necessary agitation to cause the powdered material to pass out through the perforated bottom in proper quantities as the device is moved along above the row of plants and in suitable proximity thereto. This operation results from the tendency of the device 8 S to remain relatively stationary by virtue of the gravity of the weights attached to the rods 10. Hence, assuming that the arms 8 cover the radial rows of perforations, as soon as the sudden movement is imparted to the receptacle in either direction the radial rows of perforations will move from under the arms, so to speak, allowing the powder to pass through. The operation of the device therefore consists only in giving it partial rota tions in reverse directions by the action of the hand as the device is carried along above the plants to be sprinkled by the powder.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is-- 1. In a portable sifting device the combi* nation of a suitable receptacle having a handle at the top and provided with a perforated bottom, a spindle journaled in said bottom, agitator-arms connected with the spindle and adapted to cover the perforations in the bot= tom, and a weighted rod attached to said spindle below the agitator for the purpose of holding the agitator relatively stationary while the casing is turned.

2. The combination of a receptacle having a bottom composed of a perforated plate covered with wire screen, the perforations or openings in the plate being larger than the meshes in the screen, an agitator with arms adapted to close the perforations of the plate, the agitator being mounted on said bottom and provided with a pin or spindle projecting below the bottom, and a weighted rod attached to said spindle.

3. The combination of a suitable receptacle provided with a handle and having a perforated bottom, an agitating device having arms adapted to close the perforations in said bottom, said device being provided with a pin or spindle journaled in said bottom, a rod attached to the spindle, and weights applied to the opposite extremities of the rod.

4. The combination of a suitable receptacle provided with a handle and having a perforated bottom, an agitating device having arms adapted to cover the perforations in said bottom, said device being provided with a depending pin or spindle, a rod attached to said spindle, and weights applied to the opposite extremities of the rod, the body of the receptacle projecting below the bottom and provided with slots through which the rod passes.

5. The combination of a suitable receptacle provided with a handle and having a perforated bottom, an agitating device mounted on said bottom and provided with a depending pin or spindle, the agitating device having arms adapted to cover the perforations in the bottom of the receptacle, a rod attached to said spindle, and weights applied to the opposite extremities of the rod, the body of the receptacle projecting below the bottom and being provided with slots through which the rod passes, and a. suitable means for regulating the length of the slots.

6. The'combination of a suitable, portable receptacle having a handle at the top and perforations in its bottom, an oscillating agitator located therein and having arms adapted to close the perforations in said bottom, and a weight connected with the agitator below the latter and having a tendency to hold the agitator relatively stationary when the receptacle is turned.

7. The combination of a suitable, portable receptacle having a handle at the top, and a bottom having openings for the escape of the powdered material when agitated, but of such size as to prevent the escape of such material to any appreciable extent when the agitator is at rest, an agitator located in said receptacle above the bottom, a spindle journaled in the bottom of the receptacle, to which spin dle said agitator is attached, the spindle being weighted below the agitator to cause the latter to remain relatively stationary when the receptacle is turned, whereby the perforated bottom moves under the agitator causing the powdered material in the receptacle to pass through the openings of the bottom.

8. The combination with a suitable receptacle having a bottom provided with openings for the escape of the powdered material when agitated, but of such size as to prevent the escape of such material to any appreciable extent when not agitated, an agitator located in said receptacle above said bottom, a spindle journaled in the bottom of the receptacle, to which spindle said agitator is attached, a rod attached to the spindle below the agitator and projecting therefrom in opposite directions, and weights applied to the rod on opposite sides of the spindle, whereby as the receptacle is given a partial rotation, the agitator is held relatively stationary, the perforated bottom moving under the agitator causing the powdered material to pass through the bottom.

9. The combination of a suitable, portable receptacle having a handle rigidly attached to the top thereof, and provided with a bottom having openings for the escape of the powdered material when agitated, but of such size that the material will not escape therefrom to any appreciable extent when not agitated, an agitator located in said receptacle above the bottom and weighted below the bottom to remain relatively stationary while the receptacle is turned back and forth through the instrumentality of the handle.

10. The combination with asuitable, port- IIO able receptacle provided with a bottom hav- In testimony whereof I aflix my signature ing openings for the escape of the powdered in presence of two witnesses.

material when a itated and an a itator located in said recegtacle above the bgttom, and JOSEPH COPE 5 weighted to give it a tendency to remain rela- Witnesses:

tively stationary while the receptacle is HARRISON TELLER,

turned back and forth. H. H. BILLS. 

